Author: College of Computing

MUSICAL PICKLES

Time: 30 Min.

Materials:
1 pickle
1 wooden dowel
2 paper clips
knife to cut the pickle with
wipes
Optional (paper plate, aluminum foil, newspaper, or wax paper to protect the surface)
Optional (hot dogs, melon, lemons, or other foods)

Process:
Cut your pickle in half. Slide both parts on the wooden dowel. Jab paper clips into each end of the pickle pieces. Attach the alligator clips to the paper clips. Attach the resistance sensor to the alligator clips. Attach the resistance sensor, sound box, and LCD display to the cricket.

Download the program on the right to the cricket and try it. Move the pickle to play different notes. Press the white button on top the cricket to stop and start your program.

Other Ideas:
Try other foods like hot dogs and melon. Change the instrument. Which instruments work best? Which don’t work well? Change the duration of the notes. Use the alligator clips and resistance sensor to check the resistance of many materials and record 3 readings for each material below:
See
http://science.howstuffworks.com/electricity.htm for more information on electrical conductivity and resistance.

cloth
wood
metal
rubber
other:
other: